E-cigarettes and vape liquids contain flavoring chemicals linked to “Popcorn Lung,” a severe lung disease. Exploding batteries have also caused hundreds of injuries and several deaths.
Need a Texas E-Cigarette Lawyer? Collen A. Clark is a true advocate for his clients and is passionate about helping Texans that have been injured or wronged. If you or a loved one was injured by an e-cigarette, you should contact our lawyers immediately. You may be entitled to compensation by filing a lawsuit in Texas.
UPDATE: 1st Wrongful Death Lawsuit Filed Against JUUL
In October 2019, the first wrongful death lawsuit was filed against JUUL Labs JUUL Labs after an 18 year-old teenager died. His mother blames her son’s death on his “intense addition” to JUUL vapes and severe breathing problems.
FDA Warning: “Stop Using THC Vaping Products”
The FDA is warning the public to stop using THC vape products or any vaping products bought off the street due to a risk of severe lung damage and death. A majority of vape products have tested positive for THC in this outbreak investigation.
Vitamin E Linked to Vape Lung Outbreak
Officials are blaming a recent outbreak of vape lung injuries on a contaminant in cannabis products — Vitamin E, an oil-like substance that could trigger severe breathing problems. Vitamin E was not found in any nicotine products. One cannabis cartridge that was tested contained 50% Vitamin E, investigators said.
2,400+ Vape Lung Injuries Reported in All 50 States
As of December 10, 2019, the CDC has reported a total of 2,409 people were hospitalized with vape lung injuries in all 50 states, including 52 people who died.
The victims suffered from cough, shortness of breath, fatigue and other symptoms that worsened until they had to be hospitalized.
Symptoms of Vaping Lung Disease
The victims reported the following symptoms:
- cough
- shortness of breath
- fatigue that worsened rapidly
- fever
- chest pain
- nausea
- diarrhea
E-Cigarettes Linked to 127 Reports of Seizures
The FDA has reported 127 cases of people who had seizures after using e-cigarettes. Nicotine toxicity is known to cause seizures and convulsions. The FDA warned that seizures can occur after a few puffs, or up to 1 day after using e-cigarettes.
What is an E-Cigarette?
E-cigarettes or vapes are battery-operated smoking devices. However, instead of combusting nicotine using a flame, e-cigs use a battery-charged heating element to vaporize nicotine, chemicals, and other substances (sometimes called “e-juice”) into a substance that is inhaled.
E-Cigarette Side Effects
- Popcorn Lung
- Bronchiolitis obliterans
- Fixed airway obstruction
- Chronic bronchitis
- Asthma
- Seizures
- Diseases of the small airway
- And more
Diacetyl in Flavored E-Cigarettes Linked to Lung Disease
In December 2015, researchers at the Harvard School of Public Health published a study found that nearly all of the flavored e-cigarettes they tested contain potentially harmful flavoring chemicals.
The researchers analyzed 51 types of e-cigarettes for three “high-risk” chemicals linked to lung diseases. Only four products did not contain the chemicals — but 39 (76%) contained diacetyl, an ingredient used in e-cigarette flavorings like fruit, candy, and alcohol. Another 46 flavored e-cigarettes contained acetoin, and 23 contained 2,3-pentanedione.
What is Popcorn Lung?
Popcorn Lung, also known as bronchiolitis obliterans, is a life-threatening and incurable lung disease that makes it hard to breathe. It occurs when the smallest airways in the lungs, called bronchioles, are scarred and narrowed. This can reduce or stop air-flow through these airways.
The disease got its name in 2004, after it was diagnosed in several workers at a microwave popcorn production plant in Missouri. All of the workers routinely breathed air tainted with diacetyl, a chemical in artificial butter flavoring.
Workers are not the only ones diagnosed with the disease. In September 2012, $7.2 million was awarded to a man who was diagnosed with “Popcorn Lung” after eating two bags of microwave popcorn every day for a decade.
Symptoms of Popcorn Lung
- Dry cough
- Shortness of breath on exertion
- Wheezing
- Inflammation
- Scarring (fibrosis) of the airways
- Fatigue
E-Cigarettes Regulated by FDA
E-cigarettes are now regulated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The agency originally proposed regulating them as medical devices. However, a federal judge determined that e-cigs should be regulated as tobacco products because they are not used for a medical purpose.
What is the problem?
Advocates of e-cigarettes say they are less harmful than regular cigarettes and they are a powerful tool to help smokers quit. However, critics fear that e-cigarettes could hook a new generation of children on nicotine and create a path to addiction.
Others are concerned that e-cigarettes have become the new way to smoke THC, the active ingredient in cannabis.
According to a report from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), the number of U.S. middle-school students (grades 6-8) who had tried e-cigarettes doubled from 2011 to 2012 — from 3.3% to 6.8%. The agency warned:
“This is a serious concern because the overall impact of e-cigarette use on public health remains uncertain. In youths, concerns include the potential negative impact of nicotine on adolescent brain development, as well as the risk for nicotine addiction and initiation of the use of conventional cigarettes or other tobacco products.”
Ingredients in E-Cigarettes
Manufacturers of e-cigarettes are not required to tell consumers what is in the product. In 2009, the FDA conducted an analysis of samples from e-cigarettes manufactured by NJOY and Smoking Everywhere. The analysis found the following ingredients:
- Diethylene glycol was detected in one cartridge at approximately 1%. Diethylene glycol, an ingredient used in antifreeze, is toxic to humans.
- Certain tobacco-specific nitrosamines which are human carcinogens were detected in half of the samples tested.
- Tobacco-specific impurities suspected of being harmful to humans—anabasine, myosmine, and β-nicotyrine—were detected in a majority of the samples tested.
- The electronic cigarette cartridges that were labeled as containing no nicotine had low levels of nicotine present in all cartridges tested, except one.
- Three different electronic cigarette cartridges with the same label were tested and each cartridge emitted a markedly different amount of nicotine with each puff. The nicotine levels per puff ranged from 26.8 to 43.2 mcg nicotine/100 mL puff.
- One high-nicotine cartridge delivered twice as much nicotine to users when the vapor from that electronic cigarette brand was inhaled than was delivered by a sample of the nicotine inhalation product (used as a control) approved by FDA for use as a smoking cessation aid.
E-Cigarette Class Action Lawsuit
One of the first e-cigarette class action lawsuits was filed against NJOY in February 2014 in California, according to Courthouse News. The plaintiff, Eric McGovern, alleges that NJOY used deceptive marketing tactics to promote e-cigarettes as a safer alternative to traditional cigarettes. The lawsuit also alleges that NJOY implies their product can be a smoking-cessation aid.
Need a Texas E-Cigarette Lawyer?
Collen A. Clark is a true advocate for his clients and is passionate about helping Texans that have been injured or wronged.
Collen’s amazing success in the courtroom and well known dedication to his clients has earned him the recognition of his peers as one of The Top Trial Lawyers in Texas.”
The Clark Firm has assembled a team of trial lawyers with more than 100 years experience, participation in over 600 jury trials and $260 million in verdicts and/or settlements. Please use the form below to contact our Texas e-cigarette lawyers for a free lawsuit review.